Page 56 of Beautifully Savage Butterfly

I shrug. “I really am fine. I’m surprised too, but there it is.”

He doesn’t stop walking until he’s right in front of me, bringing his fingertips up to ghost them over my swollen cheek. I don’t wince at the twinge of pain that jolts through me with the touch, I just wait quietly while he catalogs the scrapes and bruises, his gaze darkening at each one. When he reaches my split lip, I turn my head and press a kiss against the inside of his palm.

That seems to break the spell. The vengeful expression etched onto Elio’s face melts away, and he pulls his hand back to replace it with his mouth, running his tongue over the cut on my lip as we kiss.

“What do you say we go home and get in the bath? I’ll give you a massage and a consolation blowjob.” He tangles his fingers in my loose, sweat-drenched hair and presses himself up against me, completely unconcerned with my blood and sweat ruining his suit.

Home. I haven’t brought up that fleeting thought I had after we left Casimir’s apartment about the two of us moving in together, but maybe I don’t have to. I wrap my fist around Elio’s tie, feeling the ache in my knuckles from the fight, and I kiss him deeper. After a lifetime of fighting for every fucking thing, it feels damn good to have this come so easy. I chuckle against his lips. Maybe easy isn’t the right word to use when it comes to Elio, but I don’t have a better one.

“That a yes, Boss?” he asks with a laugh when I finally release him.

“Yeah. But I want to make a stop first. If you’re up for it.”

“I’m always up for it.”

If that’s not a true statement, I don’t know what is. I could take him anywhere and he would be game. He trusted me before I ever gave him a reason to. He let me into his world, and it’s time I finally let him the rest of the way into mine.

Twenty minutes later, we’re standing outside of Shady Oaks, my mouth dry and my stomach in knots as Elio stands next to me, holding my hand.

“I haven’t told him about you yet,” I confess, buying another few seconds while I work up the courage to actually take him in.

“We can lie about the mob thing if it helps,” he offers, and I bark out a laugh.

“You think he doesn’t know what you look like?” I arch an eyebrow at him. “Besides, your suit screams Mafia. He’d know with one look.”

“Fair enough.” He smooths out his suit jacket absently with his free hand. “We doing this?”

I drag in a breath, then nod. “Yeah, we’re doing this.”

The receptionist gives Elio a curious look while I sign in, but if she knows who he is, she doesn’t have the guts to say anything about it. Either that, or she’s just smart enough not to. I’ll give her credit and assume it’s the latter. I wonder what it’s like to have people be scared shitless of you everywhere you go. Obviously, it’s a necessity in his line of work, but does it ever weigh on him?

That question feels downright stupid when I think about how hard he gets off on being ignored and humiliated in bed. He’s desperate to be owned and spanked and called a pathetic slut because he’s not allowed to be those things with anyone else. The realization hits me like a rogue punch, knocking me off balance for a few seconds. I look over at Elio and my heart swells until it’s too big to even sit right inside my chest anymore.

He cocks his head. “Everything okay, Boss?” he asks, dropping his voice low.

I clear my throat. “Great.” I grab his hand again and tug it, putting authority behind the action and savoring the way his shoulders relax from something that simple.

No, things aren’t going to be easy being in love with a mafioso, but it sure as hell feels right. Falling for Elio was as inevitable as giving up my undefeated streak was. He’s the knockout punch I didn’t know I needed until he sauntered into my life and left me seeing goddamn stars.

I lead him down the hall, stopping at Jack’s door to knock. I probably should have warned him I was bringing company, but it’s not like that would have made this introduction any easier. To my surprise, the door swings open on its own, and a pretty blond woman gives me a shy smile. She looks familiar, but I can’t quite place her. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, then looks back over her shoulder into my brother’s room.

“See you tomorrow, Jacky.” The sweet lilt in her voice makes my teeth ache and brings a smile to my bruised lips at the same time. If anyone needs a little toothache sweetness, it’s Jack.

She slips past me and I stand speechless for a few seconds while the pieces fall into place.

“The nurse?” Both my eyebrows shoot up.

He hides a smile under a stern glare. “Her name is Sarah.” He clears his throat and a familiar, brotherly sort of shit-eating grin spreads over his face. “I can’t believe you’re showing your face here after a loss li—” Jack stops mid-sentence when his eyes finally land on Elio next to me.

“Yeah, Nelson has some fucking heat in those fists of his.” I rub my bruised cheek for emphasis, chuckling. My heart is beating a mile a minute, and my tongue feels too big for my mouth, but Jack deserves the truth, and Elio deserves to meet the only family I have. “I want you to meet someone.”

“What the fuck, Orion?” Jack mutters, darting a glance between Elio and me, then down to our joined hands. “Are you dating Elio fucking Moretti?”

“Elio Geppetto Moretti, actually. Don’t go spreading that around though,” Elio corrects.

I bark out a surprised laugh. “Are you serious? Geppetto?”

He bristles. “It’s a family name.”

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